The Liberation of Skopje selected as the Macedonian entry for the Oscars
27.09.2016
The Liberation of Skopje, a Macedonian-Croatian-Finnish feature film co-produced by Art Films production and Arto Halonen, has been selected as the Macedonian entry for the Oscars. The film is directed by a Croatian-born and famous Hollywood star, Rade Šerbedžija (for instance Mission Impossible II, Eyes Wide Shut and Before the Rain). Šerbedžija is directing the film with his filmmaker son Danilo Šerbedžija whose movie 72 Days (Sedamdeset I dva dana) was Croatian Oscar-nominee in 2012. Rade Šerbedžija, who is also seen in one of the leading roles of The Liberation of Skopje, will likewise star in Art Films production’s current work in progress, The Guardian Angel.
The film is an adaptation of Dušan Jovanović's famous and popular theater play. The story is set in World War II-era Skopje, in Macedonia, when it was occupied by German and Bulgarian troops. The story and the cruelty of war, the poverty, suffering and the occupation of Skopje is seen through an eight-year old boy Zoran's eyes. Zoran's father is a member of the partisan forces, while Zoran's mother Lica gets involved in a love affair with a German officer Hans. This love triangle fuels the tragic events.
The Finnish actors Mikko Nousiainen, Jari Virman and Antti Luusuaniemi are playing the roles of German officers, Nousiainen doing one of the leading roles in the film. One of the two composers of the movie is Tuomas Kantelinen, and the sound designer is Kirka Sainio. Additionally, The Finnish Film Foundation and The Finnish Broadcasting company participated in the financing of the film, which will premiere in Finland in October 2016.